Renowned Canadian voice actor, Peter Cullen, known for his iconic roles as Eeyore in “Winnie the Pooh” and Optimus Prime in the “Transformers” series, has passed away at the age of 85. His agent, Kevin Motley, confirmed that Cullen died at his residence in Los Angeles on Wednesday.
Originally from Montreal, Cullen began his career in radio at CKGM and later transitioned to television as the announcer for “The Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour” on CBS from 1967 to 1969. Cullen’s vocal talents were also showcased in the 1976 version of “King Kong” where he voiced the giant ape and in the 1987 film “Predator,” providing chilling sounds for the monster.
Fans of the 1988-91 series “The New Adventures of Winnie the Pooh” may recognize Cullen as the voice of Eeyore, a role he continued in the 2002 film “Winnie the Pooh: A Very Merry Pooh Year” and various other productions. However, his most notable character was Optimus Prime, the talking truck transformer, a role he began in the early 1980s.
Optimus Prime’s popularity led to a significant backlash when the character met his demise in a battle with Megatron in “The Transformers: The Movie” in 1986. To appease fans, producers revived the character in 1987 with “The Transformers: The Return of Optimus Prime.” Despite a hiatus from the character, director Michael Bay brought Cullen back as Optimus Prime in the 2007 film “Transformers” alongside notable actors Shia LaBeouf, Megan Fox, and Josh Duhamel.
During the Calgary Comic Expo in 2015, Cullen shared how his brother Larry, a decorated U.S. Marine, inspired his portrayal of Optimus Prime by defining a real hero as someone “strong enough to be gentle.” In a statement announcing Cullen’s passing, his family urged fans to honor his legacy by demonstrating compassion, integrity, and loyalty, and to always remember to “be strong enough to be gentle.”